Studio Electrophonique

solo project by singer and songwriter James Leesley, one of the most unique voices on Sheffield's current independent scene.

Late last year, he released his eponymous debut album on the Parisian label Valley of Eyes Records, with production by Simon Tong (The Verve, The Good, The Bad and The Queen, The Magnetic North).

This debut album is the result of a chance encounter between Leesley and Tong, which blossomed into a friendship fuelled by their shared passion for The Velvet Underground, The Kinks' Something Else, Barry Hines' novels, Jake Thackray's songs, Blackpool's North Pier, and impromptu dart games in an attic.

In Tong's London studio, an arsenal of vintage guitars and Casio keyboards (organ mode activated) enriched the text fragments Leesley scribbled on the back of bus tickets or betting slips. The result is an eleven-track album where emotion emerges from the most modest details.

Solitude, desire, beauty, and loss permeate these everyday scenes: a misunderstanding over tea and scrambled eggs, raindrops on the misty window of a bus's upper deck, or the faded charm of a low-budget seaside getaway.

Recorded on Tascam tape, this captivating debut album transports the listener into an intimate, warm, and dreamy world. Recommended by JLC